The NIFFTE project

The Neutron Induced Fission Fragment Tracking Experiment (NIFFTE) is a double-sided Time Projection Chamber (TPC) with micromegas readout designed to measure the energy-dependent neutron-induced fission cross sections of the major and minor actinides with unprecedented accuracy. The NIFFTE project addresses the challenge of minimizing major sources of systematic uncertainties from previous fission chamber measurements such as: target and beam non-uniformities, misidentification of alpha and light charged particles as fission fragments, and uncertainties inherent to the reference standards used. In-beam tests of the NIFFTE TPC at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center (LANSCE) started in 2010 and have continued in 2011, 2012 and 2013. An overview of the NIFFTE TPC status and performance at LANSCE will be presented.